Involuntary administration of psychotropic medication
Wis. Stat. § 55.14
in effect(1) In this section:
(a) “Involuntary administration of psychotropic medication” means any of the following:
1. Placing psychotropic medication in an individual’s food or drink with knowledge that the individual protests receipt of the psychotropic medication.
2. Forcibly restraining an individual to enable administration of psychotropic medication.
3. Requiring an individual to take psychotropic medication as a condition of receiving privileges or benefits.
(b) “Not competent to refuse psychotropic medication” means that, as a result of developmental disability, degenerative brain disorder, serious and persistent mental illness, or other like incapacities, and after the advantages and disadvantages of and alternatives to accepting the particular psychotropic medication have been explained to an individual, one of the following is true:
1. The individual is incapable of expressing an understanding of the advantages and disadvantages of accepting treatment and the alternatives to accepting treatment.
2. The individual is substantially incapable of applying an understanding of the advantages, disadvantages and alternatives to his or her condition in order to make an informed choice as to whether to accept or refuse psychotropic medication.
(c) “Protest” means make more than one discernible negative response, other than mere silence, to the offer of, recommendation for, or other proffering of voluntary receipt of psychotropic medication. “Protest” does not mean a discernible negative response to a proposed method of administration of the psychotropic medication.
(d) “Psychotropic medication” means a prescription drug, as defined in s. 450.01 (20), that is used to treat or manage a psychiatric symptom or challenging behavior.
(2) Involuntary administration of psychotropic medication, with consent of a guardian, may be ordered as a protective service only under the requirements of this section.
(3) In addition to the other requirements of this chapter pertaining to petitions for protective services, a petition under this section shall allege that all of the following are true:
(a) A physician has prescribed psychotropic medication for the individual.
(b) The individual is not competent to refuse psychotropic medication.
(c) The individual has refused to take the psychotropic medication voluntarily or attempting to administer psychotropic medication to the individual voluntarily is not feasible or is not in the best interests of the individual. If the petition alleges that the individual has refused to take psychotropic medication voluntarily, the petition shall identify the reasons, if known, for the individual’s refusal to take psychotropic medication voluntarily. The petition also shall provide evidence showing that a reasonable number of documented attempts to administer psychotropic medication voluntarily using appropriate interventions that could reasonably be expected to increase the individual’s willingness to take psychotropic medication voluntarily have been made and have been unsuccessful. If the petition alleges that attempting to administer psychotropic medications to the individual voluntarily is not feasible or is not in the best interests of the individual, the petition shall identify specific reasons supporting that allegation.
(d) The individual’s condition for which psychotropic medication has been prescribed is likely to be improved by administration of psychotropic medication and the individual is likely to respond positively to psychotropic medication.
(e) Unless psychotropic medication is administered involuntarily, the individual will incur a substantial probability of physical harm, impairment, injury, or debilitation or will present a substantial probability of physical harm to others. The substantial probability of physical harm, impairment, injury, or debilitation shall be evidenced by one of the following:
1. The individual’s history of at least 2 episodes, one of which has occurred within the previous 24 months, that indicate a pattern of overt activity, attempts, threats to act, or omissions that resulted from the individual’s failure to participate in treatment, including psychotropic medication, and that resulted in a finding of probable cause for commitment under s. 51.20 (7), a settlement agreement approved by a court under s. 51.20 (8) (bg), or commitment ordered under s. 51.20 (13).
2. Evidence that the individual meets one of the dangerousness criteria set forth in s. 51.20 (1) (a) 2. a. to e.
(4) A petition under this section must include a written statement signed by a physician who has personal knowledge of the individual that provides general clinical information regarding the appropriate use of psychotropic medication for the individual’s condition and specific data that indicates that the individual’s current condition necessitates the use of psychotropic medication.
(5) The guardian ad litem appointed under s. 55.10 (4) (b) for an individual who is the subject of a petition under this section shall report to the court whether the allegations in the petition required under sub. (3) are true, and whether involuntary administration of psychotropic medication is in the best interests of the individual.
(6) If requested by an individual who is the subject of a petition under this section or anyone on his or her behalf, the individual has the right at his or her own expense, or if indigent at the expense of the county in which the petition is filed, to secure an independent medical or psychological examination relevant to the issues of whether the allegations in the petition required under sub. (3) are true, and whether involuntary administration of psychotropic medication is in the best interest of the individual, and to present a report of this independent evaluation or the evaluator’s personal testimony as evidence at the hearing.
(7) Upon the filing of a petition under this section, the court shall make a referral for appointment of legal counsel as provided under s. 55.105. A petition under this section shall be heard within 30 days after it is filed.
(8) The court may issue an order authorizing an individual’s guardian to consent to involuntary administration of psychotropic medication to the individual and may order involuntary administration of psychotropic medication to the individual as a protective service, with the guardian’s consent, if the court or jury finds by clear and convincing evidence that the allegations in the petition required under sub. (3) are true, all other requirements for involuntary administration of psychotropic medication under this section have been met, psychotropic medication is necessary for treating the condition described in the statement under sub. (4), and all other requirements of this chapter for ordering protective services have been met. An order under this section shall do all of the following:
(a) Direct the development of a treatment plan for the individual specifying the protective services, including psychotropic medication as ordered by the treating physician, that the individual should receive. If the individual resides in a nursing home or hospital, the nursing home or hospital shall develop the treatment plan. If the individual resides elsewhere, the county department or an agency with which it contracts under s. 55.02 (2) shall develop the treatment plan. The treatment plan shall include a plan for the involuntary administration of psychotropic medication to the individual. The treatment plan is subject to the approval of the guardian and to review and approval by the court. If the court approves the plan, the court shall order the county department or an agency with which it contracts under s. 55.02 (2) to ensure that psychotropic medication is administered in accordance with the treatment plan.
(b) Order the individual to comply with the treatment plan under par. (a). The order shall provide that if the individual fails to comply with provisions of the treatment plan that require the individual to take psychotropic medications, the medications may be administered involuntarily with consent of the guardian. The order shall specify the methods of involuntary administration of psychotropic medication to which the guardian may consent. An order authorizing the forcible restraint of an individual shall specify that a person licensed under s. 441.06, 441.10, 448.05 (2), or 448.974 shall be present at all times that psychotropic medication is administered in this manner and shall require the person or facility using forcible restraint to maintain records stating the date of each administration, the medication administered, and the method of forcible restraint utilized.
(9) If an individual who is subject to an order under this section is not in compliance with the order because he or she refuses to take psychotropic medication as ordered under the treatment plan, and it is necessary for the individual to be transported to an appropriate facility for forcible restraint for administration of psychotropic medication, the corporation counsel may file with the court a statement of the facts that constitute the basis of the noncompliance of the individual. The statement shall be sworn to be true and shall be based upon the information and belief of the person filing the statement. The statement shall be signed by the individual’s guardian and by the director or designee of the county department or an agency with which it contracts under s. 55.02 (2) to develop and administer the treatment plan. Upon receipt of the statement of noncompliance, if the court finds by clear and convincing evidence that the individual has substantially failed to comply with the administration of psychotropic medication as ordered under the treatment plan, the court may issue an order authorizing the sheriff or any other law enforcement agency in the county in which the individual is found or in which it is believed that the individual may be present to take the individual into custody and transport him or her to an appropriate facility for administration of psychotropic medication using forcible restraint, with consent of the guardian.
(10) Nothing in this section prohibits the involuntary administration of psychotropic medication as an emergency protective service under s. 55.13.
(11) The county department or an agency with which it contracts under s. 55.02 (2) shall provide to the department a copy of any order issued under this section that applies to any protectively placed individual in the county.
(12) The department shall annually submit to the legislature under s. 13.172 (2) a report regarding orders under this section.
(13) An order under this section is subject to annual review under s. 55.19.
Source: WI Statutes (Official Site)URL: https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/document/statutes/55.14Fetched: 10/7/2026